A Lie's Worth
by BloodThirstyGoddess
Summary: Upon finding out her daughter is a vampire slayer Joyce comes up with a wacky notion to bring the Scooby Gang, including Spike and Angel, to church with her in the morning. Note: this is NOT a religious story
1. Chapter 1

Upon finding out her daughter is a vampire slayer; Joyce comes up with a wacky notion to bring the Scooby Gang, including Spike and Angel, to church with her in the morning. Note: this is NOT really a religious story

**A Lie's Worth**

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: All BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon._

_This story does not follow an exact timeline. For instance, Spike still made the deal with Buffy in Becoming but Angel did not open the vortex before having his soul reinstated. So, Spike is starting to get along with the Scoobies better._

Getting the Truth Out

Downstairs in the living room everyone was quiet, which was strange for the gang on a Saturday night. They were waiting; something was coming. Something bad. Something far worse than any hellion they'd ever faced before—a mother of a vampire slayer.

Upstairs, Joyce had just discovered that vampires were real and her daughter was indeed a vampire slayer. Nonetheless, a seventeen year-old vampire slayer that had just had sex with her undead boyfriend. When Buffy had told her mother two years ago about vampires and her former watcher Merrick, Joyce had been startled and had Buffy sent off to an insane asylum. So, naturally, bringing the subject of the supernatural with her mother had never been on the top of Buffy's 'To Do' list within the recent years.

Questions that had run through Joyce's head before were popping back up. Is this my fault? Is it because of the divorce? Maybe she was still hanging around some 'bad kids' at school. She never really seemed that crazy, just a little imaginative sometimes when she was younger.

Although upon hearing this story from her again, Joyce simply didn't know what to do. However, after seeing Buffy dust a vampire right in front of their house, Joyce started to realize the truth in her daughter's words... And she was furious, petrified, but furious. Of course that could also have something to do with the fact that there were currently two vampires sitting downstairs in her living room accompanied by Buffy's friends and the Sunnydale High School's librarian.

Answering her unspoken questions, Buffy comforted her mother.

"There is nothing you could have done to keep this from happening. It's my destiny; something I can do better than anyone else. Just, please, try to understand!"

"Look Buffy, you slept with a man you never even felt fit to tell me you were dating. Plus, he's a vampire! Then he lost his soul and tried to kill you! He's also the man who actually killed that nice computer teacher Miss Calendar wasn't he? That's why they never figured out who murdered her? And now Willow was able to reinstate his soul and you're suddenly back together with him? I'm sorry, but is this correct?"

"Well yeah Mom, but I love him, and I know he loves me too. The clause to the curse… the reason he lost his soul when he was… with me, it was perfect happiness. I was able to give him that." Buffy spoke with her head down, afraid of her mother's reaction to this.

"Were you careful?" Buffy's head shot up at the change in subject.

"What? When I fought Angelus? Yeah. Of course. I always have my weapons with me. A good slayer is a prepared slayer… oh god, I've been hanging around Giles too much." Buffy looked questionably at Joyce.

"That's not what I meant." Joyce scorned looking down at her daughter.

"Oh," Buffy gave a small laugh, followed by a look of great sadness, "vampires can't have children… or diseases or anything else like that."

"Oh thank God!" Joyce was relieved as she sat down on the bed next to Buffy, causing her to jump up.

"What? How is that good? The love of my life can't ever have children and you think it's a good thing?"

Realizing that this was really a serious issue for her daughter, Joyce had the dignity to look sorry as she realized Buffy was right.

"Look, I'm sorry Buffy, but you can't be sure you will be with him forever. Time changes things."

"Looking up at her mother with so much confusion and seriousness drowning her eyes, Buffy whispered, "Mom, I know I haven't been the daughter you would have liked, but that's not all my fault. It's who I am. Life's been hard on me. I don't get to plan out a huge future for myself because I already know it. God, my life can be so unstable sometimes! Honestly mom, apocalypses just keep popping up! But if there's one thing in life that I can be sure of, it's Angel." To conclude, Buffy sat back down and looked straight into her mothers eyes.

"Oh honey, I'm so happy you found someone you love so much. I can't believe you're so mature; but I want you to know that you can always be sure of me too. It may take me a while to understand your life, but I will always be there for you no matter what." With that Buffy and Joyce embraced, just happy to be on good terms.

"Thanks Mom."

"But there's one more thing." Joyce added with a sly smile.

Obviously knowing that she wouldn't get off the hook that easily for lying to her mother, Buffy looked up to Joyce and asked, dreading the answer, "What?"

"Well honey, I know this may seem like a lot of stuff for you tonight, but nonetheless, I also want to make sure that you can be absolutely sure of the Lord. He will always be there for you too." Buffy looked up at her mother skeptically and was about to interrupt but Joyce continued before Buffy could even open her mouth to get the words out.

"So, tomorrow morning, we'll gather up you're friends, and Mr. Giles of course, and be on our way to church!" Joyce ended with a big smile on her face as if she were some sort of evil mastermind, until she realized she forgot the difficulties of her plan due to Angel and Spike.

"Oh and we'll just have to go to the really early service so Angel and Spike can get there before the sunrises and they'll just have to find their own way home. Do they use the sewer system like in the movies?"

"Yeah, but vampires don't really like Church, I think the crosses scare them. Plus, you can't force four teenagers (who are not your own children), one old librarian, and two vampires (mind you, one is soulless) to go to church! You just can't!" Buffy had come to yelling, completely rejecting her mother's insane idea.

"I know I can't sweetie. But, I can force you to come and I can also force you to force them to come. So basically, it all works out for the best," and once again Joyce showed her big, evil smile.

"Well, Willow's Jewish! And Spike's a soulless vampire! He could just kill everyone!" Buffy looked hopefully at her mother, as if she had just beat her at this argument.

"I guess you'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen then. And as for Willow, well it won't kill her to go to one church service, you went to her Bat Mitzvah."

"Life sucks." Dismally, Buffy walked downstairs to tell everyone they were all being punished for their ongoing lies to Mrs. Summers. Once the news that they were all going to church tomorrow was announced, Spike yelled in protest while Angel started brooding in the corner. Giles just continued staring at Buffy in fear as Willow protested since she is Jewish, and Xander, Oz, Faith, and even Cordelia just groaned and complained.

Suddenly, to officiate all of their dread, Joyce came downstairs, devious smile in place, and said, "Alright everyone, now we have to get up early tomorrow. So you're all welcome to stay here as long as you go to sleep quickly. I can get some blankets." The five teenagers all agreed to stay, leaving Spike, Angel, and Giles offers unanswered.

Realizing that it'd be easier just to stay for the night Giles agreed, looking pointedly at Spike and Angel who just shrugged and agreed.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Lie's Worth**

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: All BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon._

More Than Your Average Weird

Up in Joyce's bedroom, Joyce and Buffy finished they're earlier conversation about Buffy's future.

"Mom, as a slayer, I won't get to live forever. I want to use my time with the one guy I love more than anything else in the world. But also, I want to protect him."

"Well sweetie, I think Angel can protect himself. He's a big scary vampire!"

"Not what I meant Mom, though I see your point. Actually though, I really don't think that Angel and Spike should have to come to church with us. I mean, everyone else is up for going, but Spike's a vampire and Angel really doesn't like churches! It's just not right!"

"Just trust me Buffy. Okay?"

Realizing she really couldn't win, Buffy relented. "Yeah sure, fine Mom. But this better be worth it. I don't want to have to put up with two vampires in foul moods tomorrow and have to have you take the full blame for it." With that, Buffy gave her mom a look that said- it's all on you- and then went into her own bedroom to hang with her friends.

About an hour after everyone had agreed to stay, Giles decided to head upstairs as Joyce said he could sleep in the guest room. He was tired. Glad that Angel's soul had been restored without any clause, Giles was able to sleep easier. And to Willow, he was very grateful. Being tortured hadn't really helped his physical strength and while he was still angry with Angelus, he understood that Angel was a different 'person'; the man, not the demon. Not that that made it any easier to look at Angel or to be uncontrollably skittish around him but at least he was trying.

It would be hard, Giles knew. Yet, there was some part of him that really hoped Joyce was right and that maybe God could help them all through this tough time. If anything, church should help keep them all in good spirits and renew their faith in a better life to come for them in the future.

Deciding to go by Joyce's room and thank her for letting them stay there, Giles got out of bed, now only wearing his plaid boxers and a gray tee-shirt, and walked down the hall to where Joyce's room was. He knocked on the door but didn't get a reply so knocked a few more times. Eventually he heard Joyce yell from somewhere inside, "Oh, come in already!"

Opening the door, not really thinking about what he would find on the other side, Giles walked in and saw Joyce standing there taking off her makeup in a pair of satin shorts and her lacy bra.

"Well…?" Joyce wondered. Her whole life Buffy had never been one to be quiet, so no reason to start now. Turning around Joyce saw that it was Giles at the door and not Buffy. Noticing that he had been staring, Giles coughed in embarrassment as he turned around, apologizing for his intrusion.

"Rupert, it's okay! Really, I'm sorry I just figured it was Buffy at the door. Of course that's my own fault because she probably would have just walked on in." Laughing slightly at this, Joyce stared into Rupert's eyes as they shared a moment of understanding. The no-shirt issue with Joyce was long forgotten.

"I'm sorry Joyce. It's been a long day. I just wanted to thank you for letting us all stay with you tonight. I think church will be good for these kids. It may help them deal with some of their upcoming battles. And as for Angel and Spike, well I think it will just be funny to watch them be surrounded by the crucifixes," Giles finished letting out a soft chuckle.

Joyce sat down in her bed as she motioned for Giles to come sit near her. He strolled over to her without second thought and sat down by her. Looking deeply into her eyes, Rupert could feel all of Joyce's pain and worries that he shared with her concerning Buffy. They were frightened for her, and their worry left them to confide in each other. Leaning down over Joyce, he kissed her with all the passion left inside of him, and Joyce turned off the light.

Downstairs in the living room, Xander, Oz, Angel and Spike were spread out amongst the couches of the Summers' residence exactly where Joyce had positioned them. Not that Joyce was so naive as to think they would stay there with the girls upstairs, but she at least had to try. As none of the guys really liked each other that much though, they simply waited in their respective sleeping arrangements until the girls came downstairs to join them.

In Buffy's bedroom, Buffy, Willow, Cordelia, and Faith made their beds of blankets and were talking to their parents on their cell phones, explaining how Joyce was taking them all to church in the morning, but leaving out the part about her reasoning in their stories.

Cordelia had never really been best friends with the whole Scooby Gang but she was coming to find that they were really pleasant people, fashion disasters aside. She had been going out with Xander for almost five months now, and she could not remember any guy she had been happier with. Despite all her comments and complaints, Cordy really didn't have a problem being around the Xander's friends and going to church. Going to church reminded her of the old days when she would go with her parents, before they started caring more about money than they did about her. Either way, she was happy because she finally felt like she was part of a family again.

As soon as everyone hung up their phones and Buffy saw that the light in her mother's room was off, Buffy led the girls downstairs for some real fun. Turning on a dim light in the living room, she walked over to Angel and with just a look in his direction, led him upstairs into her room. Lying down on her bed, Buffy waited for Angel to climb on top of her as they engrossed in a long make out session, not even realizing as Willow and Oz strolled into the room and did the same, only lying on the carpeted floor instead.

Still downstairs, Xander and Cordelia were cuddled up in the love seat content in each other's presence. Neither of them could believe that after hating each other for so many years that they were finally in love. It was a funny thing really, but they just felt comfort in each other's arms and knew that together, they could get through anything.

Spike and Faith, who had just recently met, never really had time to converse before. Now, stuck in the Summers' house, they were sitting on the cot in the basement, smoking a cigarette while talking about their past battles with various demons and enemies. Upon asking Spike if slaying demons, or eating people, made him hungry and horny, Spike merely replied by pressing his lips to hers and they spent the rest of the night like that together.

**BANG!** Buffy's hand sharply pushed the lamp off of her nightstand and onto the floor, waking Buffy, Angel, Willow and OZ up from their respective fantasies. Wanting to make sure no one got hurt, Angel stood up and went to turn on the main light in the room. Upon turning it on he could only see the lamp on the floor and a puzzled and frustrated looks on all the teens' faces. Then Angel took the time to notice that all he was wearing were his boxers, but he did not have time to turn off the lights before Joyce came into the room to see what had happened, wearing a small, red negligee. To say she was shocked, well, she supposed it could have been worse, at least Angel still had on his boxers.

But then to the surprise of them all, Giles walked in behind Joyce, not seeming to realize that he was not wearing much of anything at all. He walked in, examined the damage of the lamp, and without so much as a word retreated into the guest room, where he realized what he had just done.

Joyce, still tired and confused by all this morning mess, went back into her own room to comprehend what had just taken place, and Willow and Oz just forgot that it had ever happened. As Buffy lay back down into her bed, a connection was made in her foggy head and she yelled to her mother, "YOU HAD SEX WITH GILES? TONIGHT? HERE? EWWW!"

But as a way to take Buffy's mind off of her mother and Giles, Angel turned the lights back off and went back over to Buffy, making her forget everything for the rest of the night. Downstairs, Cordy, Xander, Spike, and Faith slept through all the commotion as if nothing had ever happened.


End file.
